As a adorned newbie boxer who educated beneath Evander Holyfield, Regis Prograis appeared destined to carry skilled gold sooner fairly than later, and he turned these predictions into actuality by incomes the WBA tremendous light-weight championship in 2019.
However having misplaced the title in his first protection after a heartbreaking defeat on factors towards Josh Taylor, the person from New Orleans, LA, vowed to reclaim his spot on the prime. In November, 2022, Prograis made good on that promise by knocking out Jose Zepeda to say the vacant WBC super-lightweight title. This Saturday (June 17), Prograis will defend his title in his hometown for the primary time.
M&F sat down with the southpaw, 34, to seek out out what he’s picked up from among the greats, and why he provides the whole lot that he’s received on the subject of coaching for a combat.
Anybody who has tuned into Prograis’ entertaining coaching vlogs on YouTube will know that the champ likes to start out every day with a run. “Fasted cardio, bro, all the time,” says the fighter of his routine. “I by no means prepare on a full abdomen. I all the time quick.” Prograis says that some boxers wish to eat an enormous breakfast earlier than they prepare, however that’s not for him. The truth is, it’s typically round 2 p.m. earlier than this athlete lastly sits down for his first meal. “I’ve been doing that for years. It simply works for me,” he shares.
As a super-lightweight, Prograis says that he feels snug within the weight class, however having hired a nutritionist simply over a yr in the past, he’s by no means felt higher about making the load earlier than a bout than he does now. To hit his macros, the champ dietary supplements with protein shakes (with water, not milk) and provides a contact of honey for sweetness. “Boxing is old-fashioned, and plenty of trainers, they don’t find out about diet,” says Prograis. “And, when you get on a better stage, you simply perceive, diet is simply the whole lot.” The fighter says that previously he’d resorted to sitting in sauna’s earlier than weigh-ins or just not consuming, however now he follows the recommendation of his nutritionist and solely eats what has been authorized.
Regis Prograis Trains to Turn out to be an Immoveable Object
Whereas Prograis should keep beneath 140 kilos to suit inside his weight class, this boxer is turning into an immovable object on the subject of dominating from the centre of the ring. To attain this, the fighter devotes a lot of his time to coaching legs. “I do plenty of stuff,” says than man also referred to as “Rougarou” (Louisiana French for “werewolf” in homage to his grandfather of Native American descent). “So, I run lengthy distance, I run sprints and I run the steps too. After which, on prime of that we do swimming and plenty of leg workout routines too.” In relation to hitting the pool, Prograis mixes issues up with different periods. Someday he’ll do dash work, and different days the boxer will swim lengthy distance. He additionally works on his lung capability by swimming beneath water.
Regis Prograis Learns from the Legends Who Got here Earlier than Him
For those who see the WBC tremendous light-weight champ out on one among his runs, you might discover that he likes to put on military boots. He’s been doing that nearly because the very starting of his profession. “Within the army, , they prepare, they run miles and miles in fight boots. I kinda do the identical factor,” he shares, explaining the motivation behind this technique of coaching. “All the nice fighters of the previous, they used to do it, in order that’s actually the one cause I do it … like, from Ray Robinson, Harry Armstrong, Joe Louis and George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, I imply the record goes on and on, , everyone operating in boots and I don’t know after we began coming away from it … however that’s one thing I nonetheless do.”
The champ has additionally discovered that restoration is a key side of moving into prime situation between fights, noting that to start with of his professional profession, he was all the time sore. half-hour earlier than our interview, Prograis says that he was in his chilly plunge tub, and feels that it revives him to the purpose the place he’s feeling nice. “In fact, you must get enough sleep,” notes the champ. “You get massages, , all these forms of issues.” Prograis is all the time hungry for data and says that he picked up the tip of taking common naps from “The Fighters Thoughts” by Sam Sheridan. “Restoration is tremendous vital as a result of, I imply, if you happen to really feel dangerous, you received’t be capable to prepare,” he explains.
From sparring to swimming, operating to lifting weights, Prograis trains no less than 3 times per day. Within the gymnasium, the fighter works on explosive energy, noting that he does plenty of squats. “We do plenty of ball slams,” he provides, sharing that he additionally does plenty of stepping and punching whereas carrying a resistance band too. It’s a relentless pursuit with the goal of proving that he’s the most effective on this planet, and on June 17, he’ll get to earn closure on that 2019 title loss by defending the WBC gold at an area he’s pushed previous 1000’s of occasions; The Smoothie King Middle. There, he (28-1-0) will face Danielito Zorrilla (17-1-0) earlier than a hometown crowd and tells M&F that after that earlier loss, he devoted himself to coaching more durable, and smarter, to reclaim his place. “I’m headlining, and I’m from there,” says Prograis, proudly. “Man, that is huge.” Proper now, after all, the champ says that he’s too focussed on the combat to let all of it sink in, however he definitely has victory in his sights. “After the combat, it’ll hit me what I completed.”
Regis “Rougarou” Prograis defends the WBC tremendous light-weight title towards Danielito Zorrilla reside on DAZN, June 17.
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